Photo Catch Up

Posing by the map

 Elder Orton, Elder Lund, Hermana Lund, Hermana Christiansen (apparently some clothes-swapping has occured)

Scott and Camille with Sister Clawson from our ward -she left for Milan, Italy at the same time Camille left for San Antonio

The district is splitting up -I think these elders are heading to Honduras

 Ready to go!

 Camille at the Alamo!

 Companions for one last day!

 Missionaries at the Alamo

 San Antonio Temple

 Local Wildlife

 Hermana Hearne, Hermana Lund, Dimas from Guatemala (working on baptism) Hermana King

Scott would be jealous of this missionary apartment. And car. :)

Loor Al Profeta

I've been waiting for a camera card that's supposed to be coming in the mail so I can post a bunch of Camille's past pictures with this post, but I'll have to put those pictures up later. Hopefully the card isn't lost in the mail -I will cry!!! Here is Monday's email with a couple of photos that came with it. I think they were taken that very day.

Mi Familia!

...I'm so happy to be here. La Confrencia General was incredible. I don't think I have ever needed Conference as much as I did this weekend. We watched it in our chapel (It was played in Spanish but we got to use headphones and listen in English) and I never once got bored sitting in those pews. And it was so great to think that you guys and Scott were all watching at the exact same time. :)

The weather here has been very un-Texan. It's been pretty cold! We had a super-awesome torrential rainstorm on Tuesday that flooded some of the streets. It was really fun, especially because we have a car. :)

So. Missionary work. In the Riverside ward we have been focusing a ton on recent converts/less actives. This means I have met a bajillion new people since I've gotten here. It's been kind of overwhelming. I just feel so disconnected; I just don't know what's going on most of the time. But at the same time it has been really cool to get to know and help so many people. 

And it's been so rewarding. Not only have we been able to help strengthen the testimonies of so many rcla's, but we've found so many new investigators through our rcla work. For example, we found Abacu--the sweetest old man you'll ever meet--outside when Jesus Hernandez wasn't home. And we found Alfredo y Erica when we went over to visit Erica's aunt Monica.  Lorena and her daughters were referrals from the husband of a menos activa. It just testifies to us that we are doing what Heavenly Father wants us to be doing here.

We set dates for Abacu and Alfredo y Erica last week. Also, Lorena and Veronica agreed to get baptized. But since then we've had some bad luck. Abacu went to Mexico to visit a sick friend and he won't be returning until the 23rd, 3 days after the date we had set. We haven't been able to get a hold of Alfredo y Erica, which is really sad because they were so excited about the gospel. And Lorena wants to get baptized but she's a single mom and works on Sundays. Dimas is the same: he is supporting his family back in Guatemala and always works. He hasn't been able to come to church yet and it's difficult for us to visit him. 

Here everyone is willing to listen. But it's really hard for them to get all the way to baptism. Everyone here is very poor and working on Sunday is a necessity. Another problem we often run into is couples living together who aren't married. Like Erica y Jose: they've been taking the lessons forever but can't get married because they don't have papers. There are a lot of couples who are just stuck like that. 

Being an active member of the church is such a sacrifice for these people. I am amazed at the faith of these members. They are going to have incredible mansions in heaven, no doubt about it. 

My companionship is still hard but my companions are so great. I feel like we teach with such unity. They have shown me how to teach lovingly and passionately. And they just love everyone! They are so friendly and caring and are always so sincerely ready to jump to the aid of anyone they meet. They show me how to focus on the one and how to make anyone's day. I love it. 

Spanish is coming, too. Yesterday I could totally understand Hermana Gonzalez! I'm kind of at the point where I know what's going on but I can't think hard enough to get out a response before someone else does. I've been trying hard to speak and not be afraid of messing up. It's coming. It's frustrating though and sometimes I'm legitimately angry at Spanish for getting in the way of my conversations. But it's coming.

Mucho, mucho amor,

Hermana Lund

Camille and her companions (and their car) on p-day with Jesus, a less-active member they are working with who works at a car wash.

Yo Se Que Vive Mi Senor

Camille has been using the name of a hymn in Spanish for the subject of her emails each week, so I thought that's how I'd title these posts. Here is this week's much anticipated email:

Mi familia!

First off, I am SO EXCITED that Scott is leaving today!! He is going to LOVE the mission. I know he'll be a fantastic missionary and he has nothing to worry about. I haven't been eating at members' houses very often yet, but that's ok because they feed us really heavy food and I kind of prefer to just feed myself. :) But the other day a menos activo made us pork tacos with pico that seriously were from heaven. We were all having a hard day and it just made everything better!

I haven't been riding a bike here either. We drive everywhere. But I think President is opening up more biking areas for sisters so I'll probably be doing that in the future. Right now my bike just sits in our apartment. 

Yesterday was such a good Pascua (Easter). Last week we taught our Easter lesson a bajillion times which meant we got to testify of Christ and his resurrection over and over and over again. So yesterday when I woke up I was just so happy! I had caught the true meaning of Easter. Seriously! How great it is to think about Christ's resurrection and what it means! It's amazing and it makes me smile.

Also, we had a lot of people at church yesterday. Our ward isn't very active so it was good to see so many people here. And we had 3 investigators come to church, one of which we have only taught once and one of which (Abacu) we only talked to on the street! He showed up half an hour early and, after we had given him a tour, just read from the Libro de Mormon we gave him. He cried through the sacrament and when we sang Yo Se Que Vive Mi Senor (I Know That my Redeemer Lives) and stayed for all three hours! He told us he wants to keep learning. We're teaching him on Tuesday. I really hope we have success with him. He's great. 

All the people here are great. Even though we're just in Texas I often feel like I'm in a different country, just because the culture is so different and prevalent. The women always hug you and give you the little cheek peck when they say hello or goodbye, even when they have just met you. And they're so little! I met our ward mission leader yesterday and could not believe how small he was. When I shook his hand I thought he was missing half of his fingers because they were so short. The first thing our ward missionary Hna. Gonzalez (I love, love, love her) said to me when I met her was, "How's the weather up there?" (Although I didn't understand her.) And a couple days ago a little girl came up to me and said, "You're big!" Everyone comments on my height, but in a very loving way. :) And it doesn't help that Hna. King is 5'. Haha.

Mi Espanol esta mejorando (it's getting better). Yesterday at church I could understand quite a bit. But it's still rough and I still feel like I have my head in the fog. And I'm pretty sure I have a terrible accent. When I made my first baptismal invite to a man named Israel, he turned to my companion and asked what I said. (Although to be fair, I think part of it was just that my question took him off guard.) I asked my companions to give me the phone more often, so now that is officially my responsibility. It's extra hard to understand people on the phone because of the static and the fact that you can't see their gestures, but if I don't understand them I'll just say, "Ok nos vemos manana? A las 7? Esta bien!" Usually everything they're saying is irrelevant (these people talk A LOT) and I can get by by just playing a little bit dumb. And worst case senario i just hand the phone to Hna. Hearne, like yesterday. 

Things are much better with my companions. The fact still remains that they are really similar and I'm not like them, but they are such sweet, good girls and we have really had a lot of fun together. They sincerely care about me and this work and we're beginning to be a really powerful team, I think. That's the cool thing about missions: you get to (are forced to) be friends with people you would never choose to be around at home.

I've been pretty stressed the past couple days but it's just the same old story: I'm putting everything on myself. There's so many things to incorporate as a missionary and I don't feel like I can ever do it all. I'm pretty sure I'll be training in 2 or 3 transfers and that terrifies me. But I know Heavenly Father won't ask me to do anything I can't do. Plus, it isn't really me doing anything, it's the Spirit. I need to understand that. It's just easier said than done.

Mucho, mucho amor,

Hermana Lund

Hermana Lund in Texas

The sisters from Camille's MTC district at the Alamo

Camille's first email from Texas:

Mi familia!

So I'm in Austin! My area is called Riverside B. The Riverside ward is a big Spanish ward that has 3 areas within it; there's 7 of us missionaries in the one ward. Riverside is a great place to learn Spanish. We're actually not supposed to teach in English, we're supposed to refer them to the English-speaking missionaries. And the people are so, so great. I can't believe how nice they are. First of all, all people in Texas are just nice. And second, the Hispanic culture here is just friendly. It's actually sometimes a problem we run into here because we're not sure if the people we're talking to are really interested of if they're just being their friendly selves. I guess the missionaries here often have to drop investigators because they realize they're not committed to living the gospel, they just like the missionaries to come. We've actually dropped a couple people just since I've been here.

Church yesterday was great. I didn't understand most of it but you know. I met almost everyone. And I played piano in Sacrament Meeting! Usually my companion Hermana King or our bishop will play, so they're happy to have someone else who knows how. And I'm glad I get to use it!

Oh yeah, so my companions! Yep, that's plural. Hna Hearne is my trainer (she's been out 10 months) and Hna King is the missionary she was already training when I got here. There were 21 new sisters in our group and there just aren't enough trainers to go around. My companions are great. They are super sweet and great teachers. The people here absolutely adore them. To be honest, though, I've really been struggling with the whole trio thing. First off, my companions are SUPER good friends already. And they are both just so different than me--super nice and outgoing--that there has been some serious third-wheeling going on. They are so nice and we get along, but yeah. It's been hard for me. I've been trying so hard to contribute but I don't even know what's going on half the time! And it's not really their fault. They we are all just trying to help our investigators and they happen to have all the information already. But we've talked about it a little about giving me more of a part to play in lessons and I think it will get better as I figure out what's going on. I really hope so. I just feel uncomfortable and out of place right now. I've always been bad at adjusting to change. The first week of a new semester is always awful for me. And here I'm adjusting to EVERYTHING. Everyone is new, every place is new, the language is new, everything is new. So yeah. It's been rough but I think I'll be ok in a week or two. 

Spanish is good! I can't understand much but that's expected. :) I can understand my companions just fine but the natives just kill me! The first full day of teaching just about finished my brain off. I was concentrating with all my might for about 8 hours straight trying to understand what was going on. By the time I got home I was just spent, and I've been tired ever since! 

What I've come to realize though is that I just need to talk. It doesn't matter if I mess up. It's hard because in the MTC I didn't have a choice. There was only me and Hna Christensen in the lessons and if I didn't know what say I had to figure something out fast. Here I have the luxury of sitting back and letting my companions do it all. But I can't do that! If I want to qualify for the gift of tongues, if I want to have the Spirit helping me, I need to put in my part. So yeah, I've been trying to just speak up. And the people here are just so nice that they don't care. And if you really have to speak in English for a second, they usually can understand. 

Since I've been here I've felt a ridiculous amount of feelings. But one feeling I haven't yet felt is nervousness. It's crazy! I'm not nervous going to lessons, playing the piano, meeting the ward and having to speak in Spanish, never! At the MTC I would get so nervous going into lessons but here it's no big deal. I think it's a blessing from God. He's just letting me have this one off for a while as I'm adjusting. I've really appreciated it. :)

Oh, and let me explain the title: there's an idiom in Spanish--No hay de que--that basically means "don't mention it" or "it's nothing." They've expanded it to an nonsense saying: "No hay de queso, no mas de papas," which means something like, "There's no cheese, no more than potatoes." It's totally nonsense but they think it's really funny and I do too.

There's so much more I could say but I don't have time! Have a good week and a good Easter! I love you all and am praying for you!

Mucho amor,

Hna Lund

Camille is in Texas!

Dear Missionary Families,

We are happy to inform you that your son or daughter has safely arrived in the Texas San Antonio Mission! President Jones and I and our assistants greeted them at the airport at about 2:50 this afternoon. The plane from Salt Lake City was delayed, so we were anxiously awaiting their arrival. They arrived with smiles on their faces, happy to be here. What a great group of missionaries!  This was our biggest group ever with 31 missionaries, 18 being Sisters!

After collecting their luggage, we made our way back to the mission home where we had lunch, individual interviews with President Jones and some orientation. Then they were off to the Alamo where they learned a little history and participated in some mission traditions. We welcomed them back to the mission home for dinner, and time spent getting to know one another. The Sisters then left for various members homes and the Elders left for the assistants apartment for their first night in the mission field.

Tomorrow morning we will have an orientation and transfer meeting where your sons and daughters will meet their new companions and head out to their first areas. You should expect an email from them on Monday which is their preparation day. We are so happy and excited to have the opportunity to serve with these fine young men and women. Thank you for sending such well prepared and wonderful missionaries!

Sincerely,

President and Sister Jones

Camille's Last Week in the MTC

The picture I've been waiting for -Camille and Scott together in the MTC (with their companions)

 Missionary work is hard! -Camille and her companion after a particularly hard lesson 

 The four sisters from Camille's district -all headed for San Antonio next Wednesday

 Sisters from Camille's zone enjoying a beautiful spring day at the temple -with every other missionary in the the MTC, apparently.

Camille's district -Elder Dance must be missing, or maybe they're having a dance with the elders. ?

Some of Camille's letter this week:

Mi Familia,

Hola! Que Pasa? Estan disfutado la primavera? Todos los misioneros aqui son muy felizes debido al sol esta semana. I leave on Wednesday! Our flight leaves at 9:56 a.m. and I'll arrive at 1:40 p.m., although I think that's Texas time. And I get to call you in the airport! 

Also, my mission president emailed us and told us that we are allowed to email friends in the mission field. So all of you who promised to write to me don't have any excuses now! 

Thank you, everyone, for you letters! They seriously mean so much to us missionaries. Matt, you are the most faithful writer a missionary could ask for. I love all your letters. I'm going to write you a letter after I finish this email. :)

This week has been really good, (as usual). I have learned so much (as usual). I have become acutely aware of my complete inability to do anything. It's great. Especially this week, I have been praying my soul out for the gift of discernment. I'll walk out of lessons and realize that all I was really focusing on was my Spanish and receiving the Spirit for myself. And I'll completely overlook the investigator. We had a lesson this week where our teacher/investigator actually stopped the lesson to show us a huge opportunity we had missed. I hadn't even noticed it. Anyway, since then--especially since I'm leaving in less than a week it's about to start affecting real lives--I've been focusing on, working for, and praying for this gift. And I've seen a big difference. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've learned that I can't do anything by myself, but it's been beautiful to discover that I can do anything with God. I feel humble in the most confident of ways.

A couple of days ago Hna Christensen and I listened to a fireside given by David A. Bednar online in Spanish for our language study. I was amazed at how much I could understand! Before I came here when I heard Spanish on TV or when people spoke Spanish around me I couldn't understand anything. Anything. And I know that the translator was talking really clearly, and I know he wasn't talking as fast or as casually as people do in real life, and I know that there was a lot of stuff that I missed, but I understood what he was talking about! I could even understand what he was saying well enough to go about an inch beneath the surface to think about his message. It was the most exciting day I've had here. I've said it a million times before, but it really is a miracle. At the same time though, when we talk to native speakers in TRC (every week we teach volunteers who just be themselves) I have a really hard time understanding them. But I know that I'll be able to get it, and that's comforting.

Letters from the MTC

Here are some excerpts Camille's last two letters home:

2/28/13

Can you believe I've been gone for 3 weeks?! These past weeks have felt so long and so fast at the same time. I can't believe how much I've already experienced and learned. And I'm excited to get to Texas but I'm OK spending more time here. I just have SO much left to learn it's ridiculous.

It has been so neat to see and feel the Spirit helping us with out lessons. It's impossible to know exactly what a person needs; they're just too complicated for that. But God knows. And only, ONLY, through the Spirit can we be confident that we can ever help them.

It has also been great to see my Spanish improve. Our district has really been working hard on our HSI (hablar su idioma--speak your language) goals. We're supposed to speak in Spanish absolutely as much as we can, to only use English if we don't know the Spanish word. Hna C and I have been working especially hard at it this past week. And we've really been improving! In our lesson with Antonio I was really surprised at my ability to just speak, to not have to stop and think in between every word. I still had a bit of a hard time understanding Antonio, but I could speak fairly easily. It really is a miracle. I still have so far to go but I'm beginning to see how this might be possible. :)

I've been having kind of a hard time adjusting to never being alone. I'm more of a personal person and I miss having time to myself. In normal life when I get frustrated or stressed I just go and sit by myself for a while. But here I have to always be with my companion and, even though I really couldn't ask for a better one, it's been hard. Let's just say I'm grateful for an extremely patient companion. I'm getting better though, I think!

3/7/13

This week has been a period of huge growth for me. As a missionary we are all acutely aware of our dependence on the Spirit. It can be really scary if you're doubting your ability to receive direction from the Spirit. But this week--from some incredible Sunday and Devotional talks and from personal experience--I've come to realize that the blessings that come from the temple and from being a missionary really do apply to ME. And it's not something I need to worry about. Before in lessons I would just be searching my mind for anything that could be perceived as direction, and I think I often over-looked it. I have learned that the Spirit doesn't always hit you in the face. Sometimes you don't even know that what you did came from a prompting until later, and sometimes you never know it. But if we just open our mouths, if we just act, God will help us. If we are being good, if we are keeping the commandments and sincerely trying to better ourselves, we never need to worry. Now when I teach, I just teach. I listen to the investigator and my companion and I don't think too hard. Sometimes I open my mouth without completely knowing what will come out of it, but it always ends up ok. It's a much more comfortable--and surely a much more effective--way of teaching.

Ok. Now I want to talk to my girlfriends (if any of you even read this...I bet you have all already forgotten my first name. I know I have.) who are struggling to decide if a mission is right for them. I think all of you believe that Heavenly Father has a plan for you, and you're just trying to figure out what that plan is. I know that's true and that whatever He has planned for you is perfect for you.  But let me make a suggestion: don't sit around waiting for the answer to hit you in the face. It might, but it probably won't. You have probably already been prompted and directed more than you realize (D&C 6:14). Pray for guidance, live righteously, and MAKE A DECISION based on what YOU want to do (D&C 4:3). If it's wrong, He will stop you! If you're being righteous and have a sincere desire to follow Him, you have nothing to worry about. You WILL receive guidance from the Spirit. I know that, for me, I never got that slap of realization to the face. But I know that this is the right decision for me. I look around at my life and I know that I've received guidance.

Unless Heavenly Father has another plan for you, I really don't think you can go wrong with serving a mission. I've only been out a month but I wouldn't trade the experience I've already had for anything. It has been the hardest, most stretching, most demanding, and most rewarding month of my life.

But that's me. Do what's best for you. But DO something. The Spirit can't lead us if we're not moving. If you take the first step of faith, you will receive the guidance you need.